[K 240 DF]

Hey guys,
 
got the fulla 2 since 24 hours in my setup.
I am disappointed in sound.
 
THE UNIT IS WELL MADE!
 
No problems with volume and so on..
 
But, it doesn't give me the full range of sound as my MacBook Pro. The stage is smaller, the Room-Information such as reverb and space between the instruments, the timbre of instruments and sound and so on...all is tiny and has less information.
ON movies from netflix and so on, there is also missing information.
 
The only thing which is a little bit relaxed ist the mids. They seems to be at fulla 2  a little bit opener, but nothing more. Mac Book Pro is more grainey there... But i don't really don't understand the hype.
 
Maybe  i do something wrong?

 

[trellus]

What year and specific model is your MacBook Pro?

Hey guys,

got the fulla 2 since 24 hours in my setup.
I am disappointed in sound.

THE UNIT IS WELL MADE!

No problems with volume and so on..

But, it doesn't give me the full range of sound as my MacBook Pro. The stage is smaller, the Room-Information such as reverb and space between the instruments, the timbre of instruments and sound and so on...all is tiny and has less information.
ON movies from netflix and so on, there is also missing information.

The only thing which is a little bit relaxed ist the mids. They seems to be at fulla 2  a little bit opener, but nothing more. Mac Book Pro is more grainey there... But i don't really don't understand the hype.

Maybe  i do something wrong?

 

[K 240 DF]

early 2011  15' MacBook Pro
 
...
 
Sorry for my opinion but I think, most people evaluate wrong, because they noticed something different contrast to their usual listening experience.
Contrast means is not better, it is only different.
 
If i have to decide i would go for MAcBook Pro because music sounds for me more in time. All instruments are right in time - so there is no chaos in the flow and groove of music. And i wished so much, that Fulla 2 would go for me.
On Fulla 2 the impact of Bass and Bass Drum and the other rhythmic instruments are not in time, so there is no dancing for me. 
 
For me, timing is the most interesting thing while listening to music. If there is no correct timing, the device could sound way better than other - i won't go for it. 
 
Another important thing for me  is, that music is in the same "room". A DAC must give me the whole impression of where the music happens. When the music engineer does recording he gives mostly every instrument the same reverb in a special track, because it sounds more realistic if all different instruments got the same Reverb-Track and this gives the impression of "being together".
Many people here would say "oh, there is so much more space between the instruments" on different devices. But this is mostly "virtuell". For a DAC it is much more difficult to show the real, origin recording than to "fake" the stage. Hope i can translate my appreciations.
 
Maybe, really maybe, i got these trouble because i don't have good cables, just only the cable which was shiped with the device.
Headphone is AKG 712 Pro.
Later this Year i want to buy Nordost Headphone and Nordost USB Cable. Maybe timing in music becomes better...
 
And maybe the Fulla 2 must run a week for warming up. I would thank u very much, if u could give me some words of advice.

 

[Letmebefrank]

early 2011  15' MacBook Pro

...

Sorry for my opinion but I think, most people evaluate wrong,

Or people look for different things as improvements. If you don't like the sound, expensive cables won't make it any better. It's better to buy a nicer amp and dac.

 

[K 240 DF]

... i like the form factor of the Fulla 2 very much. And the volume is perfekt.
Are there any other options to solve the problem?
 
It does not come to the sound - it is a problem of timing.
Ah, bass seems not to be deep, too, and impact is simply too soft.

 

[SHFT]

   
50 ohm, 92db sensitivity. It should drive them fine with 230mw of power considering you'll hit 115 db SPL with 200mw.  At this level it would only take 15 minutes of exposure to damage your hearing.

 
Thanks for this elaborate answer! 

 

[bigro]

Hey guys, I'm currently looking for a closed back headphone to use at work, I like the Fostex T50rp a lot but I'm not sure my fulla 2 can drive them, since everyone keeps telling these are very heard to drive. I drives my HD600 fine, are the T50rp that much harder?

The Numbers Say it will not be an issue but I concur with the people saying they Fostex Cans sound need more power  I have the Fulla 2 and the T40RP, they are the same as the T50rp's but closed. It will work and will get to good listening levels but it does not drive them any where near as good as the Magni2 Uber or the Vali 2. The Low end or lack of is whats immediately noticeable even at louder volumes but to me it seems overall  that the Planar type Cans need power behind them to come alive, I have read the Same about the Mr Speakers Cans as well. What I did find is the My PSB M4U1's and the ATHm50x's were driven extremely well, To the point where I had to check to see if I was still using the Fulla 2 or the Magni 2 Uber. My Beyerdynamic 600 Ohm DT990's can be driven by the fulla 2 to comfortable levels (with the volume knob cranked to a noticeably higher level) and did not seem to suffer from lower power output as the Fostex cans did. Hope this helps

 

[SHFT]

 
The Numbers Say it will not be an issue but I concur with the people saying they Fostex Cans sound need more power  I have the Fulla 2 and the T40RP, they are the same as the T50rp's but closed. It will work and will get to good listening levels but it does not drive them any where near as good as the Magni2 Uber or the Vali 2. The Low end or lack of is whats immediately noticeable even at louder volumes but to me it seems overall  that the Planar type Cans need power behind them to come alive, I have read the Same about the Mr Speakers Cans as well. What I did find is the My PSB M4U1's and the ATHm50x's were driven extremely well, To the point where I had to check to see if I was still using the Fulla 2 or the Magni 2 Uber. My Beyerdynamic 600 Ohm DT990's can be driven by the fulla 2 to comfortable levels (with the volume knob cranked to a noticeably higher level) and did not seem to suffer from lower power output as the Fostex cans did. Hope this helps

 
Thanks for this even more elaborate answer, maybe I should give the M50X a chance, I really want to use headphones at their fullest potential. 

 

[watchnerd]

 
Later this Year i want to buy Nordost Headphone and Nordost USB Cable. Maybe timing in music becomes better...
 

 
Not likely to improve "timing", you'll just be poorer.

 

[Jammin72]

 
The Numbers Say it will not be an issue but I concur with the people saying they Fostex Cans sound need more power  I have the Fulla 2 and the T40RP, they are the same as the T50rp's but closed. It will work and will get to good listening levels but it does not drive them any where near as good as the Magni2 Uber or the Vali 2. The Low end or lack of is whats immediately noticeable even at louder volumes but to me it seems overall  that the Planar type Cans need power behind them to come alive, I have read the Same about the Mr Speakers Cans as well. What I did find is the My PSB M4U1's and the ATHm50x's were driven extremely well, To the point where I had to check to see if I was still using the Fulla 2 or the Magni 2 Uber. My Beyerdynamic 600 Ohm DT990's can be driven by the fulla 2 to comfortable levels (with the volume knob cranked to a noticeably higher level) and did not seem to suffer from lower power output as the Fostex cans did. Hope this helps

 
 
It will also depend a little in regards to what you're listening and your desired listening level.  If you're listening to a lot of classical music that has lots of dynamic swings and you like to listen to that very loud you may find that you want a little more oopmh.  To get to 120db you need 630mw.  I'm not really sure who is listening to Classical Music at an average of 105 db given it's propensity for 30db swings but hey, that guy or gal may be out there.  If you're listening to a lot of modern compressed music it shouldn't be much of an issue.  If you're doing a lot of Live Jazz and Classical playback you may want something a little more.  At $99 I think it's completely worth a roll of the dice to see if it makes you happy.  Keep in mind that there are some circuitry advantages/differences with the Magni 2 Uber and the Vali 2 outside of the rated power so there will be some differences in the sound outside of the power factor. Bigro having experience with the actual gear in question is a great note to take and the combinations mentioned may indeed be more simpatico to your ears as well.  Nothing beats listening to it for yourself.

 

[watchnerd]

   
To get to 120db you need 630mw.  I'm not really sure who is listening to Classical Music at an average of 105 db given it's propensity for 30db swings but hey, that guy or gal may be out there. 

 
I listen to a lot of classical, but 120dB?
 
It's not that loud in the symphony hall (it can be loud, but not 120dB except on a few weird pieces with cannon).  And bad for your hearing!

 

[bigro]

   
 
It will also depend a little in regards to what you're listening and your desired listening level.  If you're listening to a lot of classical music that has lots of dynamic swings and you like to listen to that very loud you may find that you want a little more oopmh.  To get to 120db you need 630mw.  I'm not really sure who is listening to Classical Music at an average of 105 db given it's propensity for 30db swings but hey, that guy or gal may be out there.  If you're listening to a lot of modern compressed music it shouldn't be much of an issue.  If you're doing a lot of Live Jazz and Classical playback you may want something a little more.  At $99 I think it's completely worth a roll of the dice to see if it makes you happy.  Keep in mind that there are some circuitry advantages/differences with the Magni 2 Uber and the Vali 2 outside of the rated power so there will be some differences in the sound outside of the power factor. Bigro having experience with the actual gear in question is a great note to take and the combinations mentioned may indeed be more simpatico to your ears as well.  Nothing beats listening to it for yourself.

Its not really about how loud, or type of music. Overall with different types of music and different volume levels The Fostex cans did not do as well as it did with the Vali 2 or the Magni 2. You can Get them Plenty loud with the Fulla 2, it just does not sound as good. As I said the numbers say they will work how they sound as a Pairing is different and IMHO what matters most. I am not saying the Fulla 2 Is Bad. I really like mine, I am saying the fostex/fulla 2 pairing is not a bad one, just not the best.

 

[Jammin72]

   
I listen to a lot of classical, but 120dB?
 
It's not that loud in the symphony hall (it can be loud, but not 120dB except on a few weird pieces with cannon).  And bad for your hearing!

 
 
Haha.  Yeah that's sort of the point.  Most audiologists recommend ad 60-80db listening level for anything extended (Say an hour).  So even at an average listening level of 85db there's enough headroom for a 30db transient spike which is more than "enough" power for this headphone
 
As far as sounding "better or worse" there's a lot more at play than just the power spec.  This is Schiit's only OpAmp based output stage amplifier using a switching power supply, it's going to have a different "flavor" than their other gear for sure.
 
Of course this hobby is an odd mix of subjective and objective so YMMV.

 

[Jammin72]

 
Its not really about how loud, or type of music. Overall with different types of music and different volume levels The Fostex cans did not do as well as it did with the Vali 2 or the Magni 2. You can Get them Plenty loud with the Fulla 2, it just does not sound as good. As I said the numbers say they will work how they sound as a Pairing is different and IMHO what matters most. I am not saying the Fulla 2 Is Bad. I really like mine, I am saying the fostex/fulla 2 pairing is not a bad one, just not the best.

 
I can totally respect that opinion and mentioned that I thought it should definitely be taken into consideration. I was just having a conversation about equating more power to better sound isn't necessarily the deciding factor.

 

[movax]

Where / how do most of you use your Fulla 2s? When I think about where I listen to music, and now having a headphone-jack less iPhone 7 (goddammit Apple), the only times I listen away from my stacks is on the bus (if I take it), or working remotely. My laptops are a 2010 MBP (good), and a recent Lenovo T460s (ThinkPad audio quality was trash on the T430s, I expect the same here).
 
Part of me kind of hates the idea of carrying more stuff / cables, but at the same time, sitting down at a coffee shop for a few hours, is it really a big deal to pull out your laptop, a Fulla 2, and plug it into your laptop? Effects on battery life noticeable?
 
I don't haul around my over-ear headphones with me -- remote are Westone 4R IEMs, if that colors anyone's thoughts...